Just Beautiful
by Lilly Winters
Summary: Sitting in prison together, who would have thought that both Fran and Balthier would see the beauty in something so unexpected? FxB


**A/N**

**Well, this is my first FranxBalthier fanfic, so hopefully it will be everything you want :D. I think it turned out nice personally. Enjoy and Review!**

**I do NOT own Final Fantasy 12, etc.**

_Beautiful_, his mind thought as he gazed out the barred window. _Just beautiful…_

Though Balthier sat perched against a prison cell door with a rat munching on who-knows-what in the corner, through the stuffy air and past the chains cuffed over his wrists and ankles, he could not help but to see the beauty of the full moon hanging in the sky.

"I guess we pushed our luck once too hard, eh Fran?"

He could feel the heat radiating from his partner's body on the other side of the cell wall. Lack of response brought him to assume she had fallen asleep. He turned as best as he could to face her.

Head leaned in exhausting against the wall, silver hair streamed down her back and covered her body like a feathery blanket. Something within pounded when his eyes traveled up and down, taking in the work of art before him.

"Fran?"

Still, nothing.

His hand crawled through the bars separating the pair and lightly stroked the mane of hair. He became so absorbed in the delicate feeling that time slipped from his grasp. He took no note of the red eyes watching him closely until she spoke.

"Balthier."

He pulled his hand away, the point of being caught burning just as much as he was on the inside. Though he showed no remorse, playing the line he had tossed her way.

"Fran, please. Have we not talked about surprising one another?"

He flashed a swift, charming smile her direction. She smiled lightly; either that or his imagination was humoring him as it had done so many times before.

"You are troubled."

"Ever observant, aren't we? No, we will get out of this as we have done so in the past," he nodded.

He made way to stand, but found the chains restricting his freedom and slumped on the floor once again.

"Blasted chains. Quite foolish of them really to think that this flimsy metal will hold me back," he said, pulling a small metal rod from his pocket and beginning his work of breaking out.

"Balthier?"

"Hmm?"

"We will be escaping tonight?"

"That's the plan."

"How?"

The picking and prodding radiating from the metal piece and the cuffs stopped. He glanced her way.

"Riot, distraction, you name it. Whatever catches your fancy, really."

His smile never faded.

She nodded and he watched while she nuzzled closer to the wall that stood between them; closer to him. The light shedding from the moon illuminated her arms and he could see visible bumps on her olive skin due to the bitter, chilly conditions.

She was not surprised when his arms found their way around her frame and enveloped her tightly. She sighed deeply, the lull of his rugged hands warming her to the core. It was not unlike Balthier to be a gentleman. But it was unlike him to stay for so long, not a single word leaving his lips.

"The moon sings its melody tonight," she said after some time.

"Breathtaking, isn't it?"

She nodded, though glanced away.

"We are close," she sighed, "too close."

"What is closeness among friends, hmm?"

Her hand floated up to his face and grazed it with a stroke.

"Friends. Are we just that?"

He was on fire now. Never before had he wanted to kiss her as strongly as he did now. Never before had he craved her. He played off the apprehension and longing pounding in his head even though it was silently scratching, clawing to come out. Grasping her hand in his, he gazed tenderly into her eyes.

"Only if that is what you want us to be."

She peered at the ground bemused, irresolute.

"These chains, they keep us apart."

"Nothing ever will," he whispered.

She heard the thud of the empty cuffs clatter to the ground and it was not long before he was working on hers through the barred wall. From time-to-time, she would stop him simply to hold his hand; to study and see him. She had never before witnessed the peculiar and foreign outlook she currently held of the man, though she sought to explore even more.

Moments later, they were together.

In each other's arms, Balthier smiled and clutched the woman protectively.

"I sense mist," Fran said lowly.

"Then that is our escape," he nodded.

Through corridors and passages, past guards and prisoners, they remained one as they silently crept through each challenge.

And there, when they ran through yet another winding hallway, with the moon shedding a creamy glow onto each of the silvery strands that ran down her back did Balthier once again think, "Beautiful. Just Beautiful…"

A/N

**Romance rocks. To me, these two are a beautiful couple. I hoped you enjoyed the story :).**


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